Merry Christmas!

Hello Friends and Family! Sorry for the lack-of on my blog. Life gets out of hand at this time of year, and I THOUGHT I could juggle it all...but I was obviously wrong. Ha. I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Christmas and a Happy New Year! I have some amazing dishes planned for January, so don't run away!

I do have 15 days of treats you don't want to miss, so check out those amazing treats!

Please remember the reason for the season and keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas! =)

Love,

Carolyn

Elf on the Shelf

This elf has become really popular this year. We've done it for a few years now and love every minute of it! Its well worth it and the kids really enjoy finding him each morning. We went a little more mischief rather than hiding (what we did past years) and we've gotten a big kick out of it! Here they are!

Do you have an elf? Did he get into trouble? I'd love to see other ideas!

#15 Snowman & Reindeer Donuts

Now I know you all have seen these on pinterest....they are just waaaay too cute not to try!!

SNOWMAN & REINDEER DONUTS

Powdered sugar donuts
Chocolate donuts
M&Ms
Mini chocolate chips
Pretzels
Candy Corn
Frosting

These are pretty simple to figure out. Have fun with them!!

#14 Creamy-Dreamy Thumbprints

My apologies for falling behind. Finals was a very hard and stressful week for me...buts its OVER! I'll try to catch up if I can. =)

CREAMY-DREAMY THUMBPRINTS

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Colored Sprinkles
Vanilla Frosting

• In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined. Then beat in egg yolks, vanilla and extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer, then mix in the remaining by hand.  Cover and chill for about 1 hour. 
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll ball in beaten egg white and then roll in assorted colored sprinkles. 
• Place balls 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Using your thumb, make indentation in each dough ball. 
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are brown. 
• Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Fill each thumbprint with frosting. Serve immediately. 

If saving for later use, store cookie without the filling in the middle stacked in an air-tight container with wax paper between layers.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#13 Peanut Butter Cookies [feature!]

I saw these cookies and wanted to make them part of my 25 days of Christmas sweets! These come from Kim of The Misplaced Midwesterner, so make sure you hop over and show her some comment love!

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Click on image to directly see post

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the 1 cup sugar, the peanut butter, and egg until well mixed. Using your hands, roll peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with a drinking glass that has been lightly greased and dipped in sugar. Lightly grease a small star-shaped cookie cutter; dip in sugar. Press into the center of each cookie.

2. Bake about 9 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Makes 36 cookies.

MY NOTES: I baked mine for 7 minutes because the 9 minute ones came out pretty dark and very crisp. I like mine to have some softness to them.

#12 Chocolate-Mint Thins

CHOCOLATE-MINT THINS

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
2 Tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp mint extract
green food coloring

• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer, then stir in any remaining flour. 
• Divide the dough in half.
• Add coca powder to one dough half, stir until combined. 
• Add mint extract and few drops of green food coloring to the other half dough and stir until combined. 
• Divide each dough half in half again (2 portions each).
• Shape each dough portion into a 9-inch rope. Loosely twist together one rope of green and one chocolate. Gently roll ropes together to form 9-in log. Repeat with other portions. 
• Wrap each log in wax paper or plastic wrap. Chill for abot 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut logs into 1/4-in slices. Places slices 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#11 White Chocolate Macaroons

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

1 7-oz package flaked coconut
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
4-oz white chocolate (bark)

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine coconut, sugar, flour, and salt. Add egg whites and vanilla, stir until combined. Stir in mini chips. Drop small mounds of mix by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
• Bake in the oven for about 18 minutes or until cookies are light brown. Transfer to wire rack, cool completely.
• Melt white chocolate bark in a double boiler, or carefully in microwave. Drizzle over cooked cookies.
• Let the chocolate set, and serve!

I used "Chirstmas" sprinkles and drizzled with white chocolate. You can easily switch these up to your liking! Try semi-sweet morsels and drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate over top.

#10 Butterscotch Haystacks

This are so addicting...beware! =)

BUTTERSCOTCH HAYSTACKS

1 1/2 bags of butterscotch morsels
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
2 bags Chow Mein noodles

• Melt butterscotch morsels in double boiler, or carefully in the microwave.
• In a large bowl, mix noodles and marshmallows. Drizzle the melted butterscotch over the noddle mix and toss with your hands until well combined.
• In small piles, or "haystacks," drop on wax paper, and let them cool completely.

#9 Candy Cane Cheesecake

I know this picture isn't the best, but cheesecake is really difficult to cut smoothly! It still tastes the same! =)

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE

2 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
red food coloring
1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
whipped cream and mini candy canes for garnish

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla, mix well.
• Place 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture in a small bowl and stir in peppermint extract and few food coloring (enough to turn it a pretty shade!) and mix well. Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture into pie crust.
• Drop peppermint cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls into cream cheese mix and swirl with a knife to create marbled effect.
• Make for 45 minute, or until edges are firm and the middle is slightly loose.
• Allow to cool 1 hour then cover and chill at least 6 hours before serving.
• Top with garnishes!

I made a little too much of the batter red, so the marbled look isn't as clear as I hope...so less is better!

#8 Raspberry Ribbon Cookies

I came across this recipe and HAD to add it on my list of Christmas sweets! Its from Kaitlin from AnnaBean, and stop by to see her amazing blog as well! Click on the image to link back to the original post.

Raspberry Ribbon Cookies

What You'll Need:

Cookie:   1 cup butter, softened
                 1/2 cup sugar

                 1 egg

                 1 teaspoon vanilla

                 2 1/4 cups flour

                 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

                 1/4 teaspoon salt

                 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:     1 cup confectioners sugar

                2 tablespoons evaporated milk

                1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ready, Set Go!

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to cream mixture and mix well.

2. Divide dough into 4 portions; shape each into a 10 x 2.5" log. Place logs 4" apart on greased or foil-lined baking sheets. Make a 1/2" depression down the center of each log.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

4. Fill depressions with jam. Bake another 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

5. Cool for 2 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and place on cutting board. Cut log into 3/4" slices and place on wire racks.

6. In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cookies and cool completely.

*If the bars are too hard to cut (they were for me), make them more than a 3/4" slice, or roll the cookie dough into 1" balls, indent with thumb and then follow the rest of the recipe. Works just as well! 

#7 Eggnog Pretzels "Kringla"

These have been my favorite so far! I can eat a whole batch!

EGGNOG PRETZELS "KRINGA"

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (1/2 tsp ground nutmeg)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp rum extract
3 cups flour
3/4 cup dairy eggnog

• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in the sugar, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in baking powder, baking soda, the 1 tsp fresh nutmeg, salt and cardamom until combined. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and rum extract until combined. Alternately add flour and eggnog, beating after each addition until combined. 
• Divide dough in half. Wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roll pieces into 10 inch ropes, or "worms" as I call it! and twisting into small pretzel shapes.
• Place on an ungreased baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes or until the ropes turn a light brown. Transfer to wire rack, cool completely. 
• Drizzle with eggnog icing (below) and sprinkle with additional nutmeg (optional).

EGGNOG ICING: In small bowl, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 cup dairy eggnog, and 1/8 tsp rum extract until smooth. Stir in additional eggnog 1/2 tsp at a time to make into drizzling consistency.

If YOU have a Christmas Sweet recipe, let me know! I would love some help with these 25 days--and make you a full feature!

#6 PB & J Thumbprints

PB & J THUMBPRINTS

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup cocktail peanuts, chopped finely
Creamy Peanut butter
Jar of grape jelly

• In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined. Then beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer, then mix in the remaining by hand. 
• Cover and chill for about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grease cookie sheets. 
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll ball in beaten egg white and then roll in chopped peanuts.
• Place balls 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Using your thumb, make indentation in each dough ball.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
• Fill each thumbprint with 1/2 teaspoon creamy peanut butter and then with 1/2 teaspoon grape jelly. Serve immediately.

If saving for later use, store cookie without the filling in the middle stacked in an air-tight container with wax paper between layers.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#5 White Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY BROWNIES

1 cup butter
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
4 eggs
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups snipped dried cherries
1 cup sliced almonds, chopped
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
6 oz white chocolate, chopped

• Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 disposable foil baking pan.
• In a large saucepan, heat and stir butter and 4 oz white chocolate over low hear until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in eggs, one at a time; stir in sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat with wooden spoon just until smooth. Add flour, 1 cup of cherries, almonds, baking powder and alt; stir until combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the 6oz chopped white chocolate and the remaining dried cherries. 
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and just set in the center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#4 Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

CHERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES

1 6-oz jar maraschino cherries
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 3-oz package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
red food coloring
milk

• Drain cherries, reserving juice. Pat cherries dry. Finely chop cherries; measure 1/3 cup. Spread cherries on paper towels, pat dry.
• In a large bowl combine butter, shortening, and cream cheese. Beat with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in egg and extract until combined. Gradually add flour, beating until combined.
• Divide dough into 3 portions. Leave one portion plain. Into another dough portion, knead 1/2 tsp of the reserved cherry juice and enough red food coloring to make the dough light pink. Knead chopped cherries into remaining dough portion. Wrap each dough portion with plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours.
• Lightly flour three pieces of parchment paper. On each piece, roll a dough portion into a 6-inch square. Cover each portion with plastic wrap and freeze for about 30 minutes.
• Place plain dough square on work surface; brush top with milk. Place pink square on top of plain square. Turn over and brush other side of plain square with milk; place chopped cherry square on top of that one. Evenly trim the edges and cut stack into 3 even portions; freeze for about 30 more minutes.
• Preheat oven 275 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cut each block crosswise into 12 slices. Place slices on sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#3 North Pole Cupcakes

NORTH POLE CUPCAKES

(You'll see a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest!)

This isn't really a recipe. I used box cake (gaaaasp! I know!) and "box" icing (gaaaaasp! I know!) that tasted like peppermint. Made the cupcakes according to the direction and frosted them. I sprinkled a little white sugar over top to give it the "sparkly" snow has. Take a peppermint stick (or break candy canes apart, like I did) and then put a little icing on top and top it off with a red M&M.

A few hints:

• Don't put the peppermint sticks in until you are ready for delivery or to eat--the candy "melts" and will make the snow look more like blood....trust me on this one. You could probably freeze them to prevent bleeding as well, but don't quote me on that.
• The peppermint icing was AWESOME and gave it more of a unique flavor rather than just plain vanilla.
• Get a HUGE bag of M&Ms so you can eat all the ones you didn't use!
• Put in clear plastic cups for a cute shell around it and delivery it without any hiccups!
• These are PERFECT for bake sales!

#2 Dark Chocolate Candy Bar Bark

DARK CHOCOLATE CANDY BAR BARK

(that's a mouth full, huh?)

6-oz chocolate-flavor candy coating, chopped
6-oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 T shortening
2 cups assorted chocolate candy bars or candy (english toffee, malted-milk balls, goobers, snickers)
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped

• Line baking sheet with heavy-duty foil; grease. 
• Melt together chocolate candy coating, chocolate and shortening (double boiler or microwave). Stir in 1 cup of assorted chopped candy bars and peanuts into melted chocolate mix. 
• Pour into prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly in a layer about 1/4 in thick. Sprinkle with remaining candy bars, lightly pressing them into chocolate mix. 
• Chill for about 30 minutes or until firm. Use foil to lift candy out of pan. Break into pieces.

White chocolate candy bar bark: substitute with vanilla-flavor coating, white chocolate squares, and toasted almonds (instead of peanuts).

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#1 Cherry Thumbprint

So I'm trying this little segment out, but its a dooooozy. "25 days of Christmas Sweets." Originally it was "Christmas Cookies" but then I expanded my recipes to cover a bigger range. Yes, I will diet AFTER Christmas, but before then...enjoy! A new sweet will be posted EVERY DAY until Christmas (hopefully!!)!

Thumbprints are a new adventure for me. I don't know why I've never made them before of wanted to make before--they are actually really EASY and quite delicious!

CHERRY THUMBPRINTS

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup slivered almonds, chopped finely
1 can cherry pie filling

• In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined. Then beat in egg yolks, vanilla and extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer, then mix in the remaining by hand. 
• Cover and chill for about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grease cookie sheets. 
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll ball in beaten egg white and then roll in chopped almonds.
• Place balls 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Using your thumb, make indentation in each dough ball.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
• Fill each thumbprint with cherry pie filling and a cherry. Serve immediately.

If saving for later use, store cookie without the filling in the middle stacked in an air-tight container with wax paper between layers.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition